Quotes About Vulnerability

Do you know what you need?" Malcolm was saying now. To get laid, I thought. "To get laid," Malcolm said. Shocker.

He stared at her, unable to think of whole words. Orchid's mouth was wet and swollen, and he had done that. 'That was -' she smoothed her hair. 'That was -' Amazing. A long time coming. Something she wanted to do again, Dr. Bown be damned. 'Really nice.' Oh, no. he'd sucked at it. Nice? He could already hear all of her laughing.

My first really long lovemaking experience was thirteen hours nonstop, from dusk to dawn. At that point I had been more accustomed to five or six hours at a time. And then, at some time further on in my exploration, my new lover and I were in bed for a solid twenty-one days, apart from the minimum of time required to care for bodily needs.

We think of it as a sort of traffic accident of the heart. It is an emotion that scares us more than cruelty, more than violence, more than hatred. We allow ourselves to be foiled by the vagueness of the word. After all, love requires the utmost vulnerability. We equip someone with freshly sharpened knives; strip naked; then invite him to stand close. What could be scarier?

There was something real breakable about Mary Ella and I was always afraid if I touched her in the wrong spot, she'd crack.

Do you love him? I shook my head. "I love you," I said, before I could stop myself. He looked away from me. "A little too late for that, isn't it," he said, and I winced, wishing I'd kept my feelings to myself.

Perhaps now that she'd told the story, it would lose its power over her. She hoped she would never have to repeat it to anyone ever again.

Well, like Gaston says, it's hard to control who you fall in love with," he said. "You love somebody that deeply, you're willing to risk everything to be with them.

possible. He has this attitude that nothing bad can happen to him, that he is protected in some way. I never have that feeling. Instead, I am certain my death is waiting for me around the next bend in the road.

there. She'd learned not to grow attached to anyone, too fond of anyone, so there could be no surprises and no hurt.

No matter how many people care about you, she thought, if you can't be open with them about who you truly are, you are still alone.

what I have with Laurel is public and shallow. What I have with you is private and deep. Which part of me would you rather have?

I don't really know how to relate to a long-term day-in day-out kind of comfortable relationship.

He said 'That! Put that in your purse! I don't like that!' when I took off my brassiere. It remained there, though, curled up on his wooden floor, curled awkwardly for a piece of clothing, not awkwardly if it had been something else perhaps, a creature. "Idea

Chasing down international killers without a firearm is easier than facing my feelings for you.

Real bullets are for keeps, and concealment is not necessarily good cover.

The dignity of man was everywhere tissue-paper thin.

One of my greatest strengths is to admit my weaknesses.

Mais je n'ai jamais su être égoïste longtemps – peut-être parce que je n'ai rien à défendre. J'ai

In the presence of a psychiatrist I can only be a sick man; in the presence of a Christian brother I can dare to be a sinner.

The figure of the crucified invalidates all thought which takes success for its standard.

Every Christian community must realize that not only do the weak need the strong, but also that the strong cannot exist without the weak. The elimination of the weak is the death of the fellowship.

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.

A friend is one to whom one may pour out the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that gentle hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.